"Tidbits From TNT" Friday Morning 2-17-2023

TNT:

CandyKisses:  Al-Fatlawi: America is playing according to a scheme to drag Iraq towards it to ensure the implementation of its policies

Information / Baghdad.

A member of the Fatah Alliance, Ali Al-Fatlawi, said that America is playing a certain chord in order to drag Iraq towards it and ensure the achievement and implementation of its policies, pointing out that America was behind raising the value of the dollar currency in the Iraqi markets in order to achieve its goals.

Al-Fatlawi told Al-Maalouma that "America can no longer implement and enforce its agendas inside Iraq, especially after it was revealed to everyone its actions, goals and plans, as the people realized what they aspired to through its presence in Iraq."

He added that "America plays on a certain chord and concept so that it seeks to drag Iraq towards it and ensures that it continues to cooperate with it and not stand against it, which pushes it to intervene and refuses to cooperate with other countries."

He pointed out that "Iraq has a neutral and balanced role with all regional and international powers, at a time when America plays a chord through which it seeks to implement its agenda inside Iraq and achieve what its policy aims at, including changes in the exchange." rate of the currency and its repercussions, as it stood behind this matter in order to achieve its goals.”

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Candy/Kisses:  Economist: The total budget amount may reach 160 trillion dinars

Information/Baghdad...

Economist Mustafa Akram Hantoush explained that the total budget amount may reach 160 trillion dinars, pointing out that the operational aspect of salaries has risen to about 105 trillion, as well as that there are tendencies to build new cities.

Hantoush told Al-Maalouma that "the Sudanese is working on preparing a budget that does not exceed 150-160 trillion in its spending, operational and investment aspects, which put him in front of a great challenge."

“The budget should take into account the ongoing and lagging investment projects and accommodate the salary increase, and salaries are expected to reach 105 trillion from the 91 trillion allocated to the operating side,” he added.

He pointed out that "the investment side, after it was 27 trillion, but expectations indicate that it will reach 50 trillion dinars with the implementation of the Prime Minister's plan for residential and real estate projects and the construction of new cities, and therefore the total budget amount may reach 160 trillion dinars.” 

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CandyKisses:  Oil is heading for weekly losses of about 2 percent

Baghdad - Nas  

Oil prices fell in early Asian trading on Friday, heading for weekly losses, as strong U.S. economic data increased concern that the Federal Reserve will continue its monetary tightening policy to curb inflation, which could affect fuel demand even as crude inventories grow.      

Data showed the U.S. producer price index rose 0.7 percent in January, after falling 0.2 percent in December. Meanwhile, applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell to 194,200, versus <>,<> in a Reuters poll.  

Price movement  

By 0405 GMT, Brent crude futures were down 68 cents, or 0.8 percent, at $84.46 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 66 cents, also 0.84 percent, at $77.83. Crude is heading for a weekly decline of about two percent, according to Reuters data.  

Kazuhiko Saito, senior analyst at Fujitomi Securities, said: "Strong U.S. data reinforced concerns about interest rate hikes and led to higher U.S. Treasury yields, putting pressure on oil and other commodity prices."  

He added that the increase in crude inventories in the United States had exacerbated pressures.  

The Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday that U.S. crude oil inventories rose last week to the highest level since June 2021 after a larger-than-expected increase.   

"However, the loss was limited as investors expect fuel demand in China to recover," Saito said.  

The International Energy Agency said this week that China will account for nearly half of global oil demand growth this year after COVID-19 restrictions are eased, but restrictions imposed by OPEC+ countries, a group that includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, on production could mean a supply deficit in the second half of the year.  

 Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the current OPEC+ agreement to cut oil production by two million barrels per day would remain until the end of the year, adding that he remained cautious about Chinese demand.  

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CandyKisses:  What are the most important religious and historical Ramadan series this year?

Baghdad - Nas  

Arab TV drama makers are preparing to air dozens of series as the month of Ramadan approaches, and a host of important historical dramas are emerging among these highly anticipated series.      

"Raise Your Voice" prepared a report followed by "Nas", (February 17, 2023), about the most important historical works, and why some of them sparked controversy in the Arab street. What series have been postponed and will not be included in the Ramadan season?.  

The report reads as follows:-  

 The Sultan's Secret  

An Egyptian series produced by United Media Services Company and Synergy Productions. It is based on the story "His Secret of the Father" by the late Egyptian writer Youssef Idris. It is a script, dialogue and directed by Khaled Youssef in his first television work. The series stars many Egyptian and Arab stars, including Ahmed Fahmy, Ahmed Al-Saadany, Hanan Mutawa, Reem Mustafa, Hussein Fahmy, Amr Abdel Jalil, Kuwaiti Shams, Tunisian Rania Al-Toumi, Syrian Nidal Najm.  

The production company hasn't released much information about the series yet. But director Khaled Youssef referred to the main idea of the work through his Facebook page, when he said that: The series takes place in the framework of a modern historical drama, between two times, namely the current era and the era of the French campaign on Egypt in 1798.

On the other hand, some sources said that the work revolves around the myths of the Egyptian countryside, and the reasons for building a shrine for a person somewhere, so that people start going to this place to ask for the fulfillment of their wishes.  

The series is expected to transport viewers to the atmosphere of Egypt at the end of the eighteenth century. At that time, the most famous French commander Napoleon Bonaparte was the leader of the French expedition to the East in 1798. The French triumphed over the Mamluks and Ottomans and managed to rule Egypt for a short time. They soon left "Mahrousa" in 1801 after they concluded an agreement with the British and the Ottoman Empire.  

 Muawiyah Bin Abi Sufyan  

 Produced by MBC TV, written by Egyptian journalist Khaled Salah, and directed by Tarek El-Erian. It stars many stars, including Iyad Nassar, Asma Jalal, and Soheir Ben Amara, and includes Tunisians Aicha Ben Ahmed and Jamila Chiha. The character of Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan is represented by the Syrian artist Loujain Ismail.

The series is filmed at Cartago Film Studios in Hammamet, Tunisia, along with scenes in northern and southern Tunisia in cities such as Mahdia, Monastir and Enfidha. Several news reports stated that the work would be the most expensive in the history of Arab television drama. It has a budget of more than $75 million.  

Talk about the series has revived the controversy that always arises about the problem of embodying companions on the small screen. This situation is very similar to the controversy that arose in 2012 when Omar Bin Al-Khattab was a co-production of MBC TV and Qatar Media Foundation. Its budget at the time was 53 million US dollars.  

The series is also expected to generate more controversy, especially in Shiite circles. Almost two months before his presentation, Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr called on Saudi Arabia to halt the work.  

Muawiyah's series is also expected to break into many booby-trapped areas in Islamic history. They are the most rugged areas surrounded by halos of holiness and reverence. The series will be about the biography of the companion Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan. He will tell about his role in the war that took place within the Islamic State after the death of Caliph Othman bin Affan in the year 35 AH.

The work will also monitor the most prominent stations on Muawiyah's path to the seat of succession, in particular his war against the fourth caliph, Ali bin Abi Talib, and the arbitration incident.  

It is worth mentioning that the Arab historical drama has already dealt with the biography of Muawiya bin Abi Sufyan before in more than one work. The series "Muawiyah, Hassan and Hussein", which aired in 2011, was the most important of these works ever. At the time, the series was heavily attacked in Shiite circles.

For example, the supreme Shiite authority in Iraq, headed by Ali al-Sistani, announced its "reservation" about the series being shown during the month of Ramadan by a number of Arab satellite stations, considering that it would increase the difference between Muslims by exposing it to very sensitive events in Islamic history. Following the announcement, the Iraqi parliament took a decision to ban the series from being shown on any Iraqi channels.  

Imam Shafi'i  

Egyptian series. Written by Mohammed Hisham Abey, and directed by Syrian director Laith Hajo. It stars a large group of Egyptian and Arab actors: Khaled Al-Nabawy, Nidal Al-Shafei, Khaled Anwar, Mohamed Al-Sharnoubi, Arwa Gouda, Khaled Al-Qish, Farah Bseiso.

News of the start of work on the series received positive reactions from many critics because it brings "historical religious works in drama back to the fore after being absent for years due to huge costs and many preparations..."  

It is worth mentioning that the biography of Imam Shafi'i has previously been presented in Egyptian television drama on more than one occasion. In 1997, this character was embodied in the series "The Age of the Imams" directed by the late director Hossam El-Din Mustafa, and Al-Shafei was highlighted again in 2007 when a series entitled Imam Al-Shafi'i directed by Sherine Qassem was broadcast.  

 It is known that Imam Muhammad bin Idris Al-Shafi'i was born in 150 AH in Gaza City, and his mother moved him to Mecca, where he lived his childhood. He then traveled throughout the Islamic world and learned from some of the great scholars such as Malik bin Anas and Muhammad bin Al-Hassan Al-Shaibani. Al-Shafi'i traveled to Egypt in 198 AH, and gave his lessons at the Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-Aas.

He managed to attract dozens of pupils and students to his council. He is known for his famous doctrine of jurisprudence, which has become one of the four most famous schools of jurisprudence in Sunni Islamic circles throughout history.  

Levantine historical drama  

Levantine historical drama has proven itself in past years as one of the hallmarks of Arab screens in every Ramadan season. The genre has attracted viewers for its ability to blend history with social Levantine folklore. Next Ramadan two works of that category will be exhibited. The first is the thirteenth part of the popular series Bab al-Hara.

The first part of which was shown in 2006, and is produced by Maysaloon Film for artistic production. It was written by Marwan Kaouk and Kamal Murra, and directed by Bassam Al-Mulla and Mohammed Zuhair Ragab. It stars Samer Al-Masri, Abbas Al-Nouri, Sabah Al-Jazaery and others.

This part deals with the period of the forties of the twentieth century in Syria. It is exposed to the era of the French occupation by monitoring social life in one of the popular dialogues.  

The second work is the third part of the series Haret Al-Qobba. The first part of which was shown in 2021. It is directed by Rasha Sharbatji, written by Osama Kokash and starring Abbas Al-Nouri and Sulafa Mimar. The series tells about the period of Ottoman rule in the Levant in the nineteenth century, and illustrates the suffering that Syrians were subjected to.   

Deferred work  

Many historical works will not catch up with the next Ramadan season due to delays in preparations and the production process. The most important absent series of the season is "The Assassins", written by Abdel Rahim Kamal and directed by Peter Mimi. It stars a large number of artists, including: Karim Abdel Aziz, Fathi Abdel Wahab, Sherif Salama, and Mirna Nour El-Din.

The series sheds light on the Assassins/Hashishis group that emerged in Iran in the fifth century AH. The series reviews the epic biography of Hassan bin Al-Sabah Al-Himairi, the leader of that group. And how this mysterious man managed to recruit followers and supporters in his mountain castle called Alamut Castle.

It is noteworthy that the story of the Assassins and Al-Hasan bin Al-Sabah has already been embodied in many television dramas. Perhaps the most prominent of them are the Syrian series Omar Khayyam in 2002, the Egyptian series Imam Al-Ghazali in 2012, and the Samarkand series in 2016.  

The absence of the Egyptian series "One Thousand and One Nights", produced by Aroma Studios, was also confirmed due to the large equipment and long filming time. The production company decided to "postpone its presentation to Ramadan 2024, until the work comes out in a manner befitting all the details it addresses."  

The Syrian historical series "Haremlak" will also miss the upcoming Ramadan season. The series deals with the events of the struggle for power in the Levant in the sixteenth century AD. The work, which starred a large number of Syrian, Tunisian and Egyptian stars, has been a huge success in previous years.

 There have been some reports that a third part of it will be produced and released next Ramadan. But the production company confirmed that the previous two parts were sufficient and that a third part was not produced.  

Mot:  ..... Those with OCD . and Raising the Kids! – siigghhhhh

Mot: .. Uh Oh.. a Pig in the Road! ~~~